3D Secure

What is 3D-Secure?

3D-Secure is the online equivalent of the Chip & Pin scheme currently being used in traditional high street retail stores. Both the Chip & Pin and 3D-Secure schemes are attempts to reduce credit card fraud.

3D-Secure is a password that only you, the owner of the credit/debit card, should be aware of. This password adds an extra layer of security to online credit/debit card transactions.

Confusion caused by 3D-Secure

Unfortunately the credit card companies and banks haven't promoted 3D-Secure as heavily as they have Chip & Pin, and so there are some people who aren't aware of it, and understandably when confronted by the scheme online they feel frustrated or perplexed.

Another confusing element of 3D-Secure is that it is referred to by different names. Visa calls theirs Verified by Visa, while MasterCard calls it MasterCard SecureCode.

Your bank will be the holder of your 3D-Secure password and to make things even more confusing they will often refer to the system by yet more names. Lloyds TSB for example calls it Lloyds TSB ClickSafe.

How to use 3D-Secure

When you are going through the checkout process with us, after you've entered your credit/debit card information you may, depending on your credit/debit card type and bank that issued the card, be prompted to give your 3D-Secure password.

A little box will popup with Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode written on it. If you haven't already signed up for a 3D-Secure password whilst doing previous online transactions with other online retailers, you can go to your bank to signup for their 3D-Secure scheme.

Again, it may be confusing as banks refer to the system by different names, Lloyds TSB for example calling theirs ClickSafe, while RBS call theirs RBS Secure.

Forgotten your 3D-Secure Password

If you already have a 3D-Secure password but have forgotten it, your bank will ask you to input personal information and answers to questions only you should know the answer to (mother’s maiden name, etc). If you still have problems recovering your password you will most likely need to phone your bank.

3D-Secure looks as if it’s here to stay

It is likely that in the future it will become compulsory for all online retailers to use 3D-Secure for all credit/debit card transactions, so this means that if you wish to continue to pay for things online with your credit/debit cards it will be something you’ll need to sign up for at some point.

Please be aware that although we realise the 3D-Secure system can be a bit of a pain as it is easy to forget your password, it is there to help improve security and make things that bit more difficult for a criminal who may have stolen, or cloned your credit/debit card.

We hope you can understand why more and more online retailers are beginning to implement this measure into their stores. We feel anything that helps reduce online fraud must be considered beneficial for not only you, but us the online store as well.